Kharkiv Oblast (Ukraine), Sep 11 : The Ukrainian army has liberated the villages of Vasylenkove and Artemivka in Kharkiv Oblast, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Telegram. "Step by step, our fighters are liberating Ukrainian land. Soldiers of the 113th Territorial Defence Brigade have liberated Vasylenkove and Artemivka in Kharkiv Oblast," Zelensky added on Saturday. The President continued to stress that freedom is not easy, Ukrainska Pravda reported. "Ukrainian defenders are fighting for independence for each of us at the cost of their own lives," he said. On September 8, Zelensky confirmed the information that Ukrainian army units had liberated the city of Balakliia in Kharkiv Oblast; and on September 10, it became known that the Ukrainian armed forces had liberated Kupiansk and Izium. On September 9, Zelenskyy added that the Ukrainian army had taken control of more than 30 cities and towns in Kharkiv Oblast. Since early September, the Ukrainian army have liberated nearly 2,000 square kilometres of the country's territory from Russian invaders. /IANS